Fall 2021 Planting & Christmas Gift Idea (Hint: Trees are involved)

This could be you this spring! Come on, what are you waiting for? Buy some trees and come on out!

How do you plant trees during COVID? Probably like you would…with the help of friends and neighbours!

Since COVID began in the spring of 2020, we’ve been quite challenged getting trees in the ground. But challenges also bring opportunities, and for us, wonderful new relationships.

Tree Planning and Planting

For October’s planting, in fact for all fall plantings, we buy potted trees. They have a greater chance of surviving the winter. This fall we choose to go with only 45 trees and shrubs, but larger ones. We felt with COVID, a smaller planting with less volunteers was the best way to go.
For helping us with the land, a big thank you goes out to Kawartha Land Trust (KLT). One of our goals is to plant trees and shrubs on environmentally sensitive land. One of the properties they look after is the McKim-Garsonnin property at the head waters in Kawartha Lakes. We’ve been planting there the last few times, including this one. This time KLT, with the help of Fleming College, cleared out and prepared the land. On planting day a KLT representative helped plant and recommend where we planted each tree and shrub. Our goal is, and always has been, to plant what’s best for that particular piece of land and adds to biodiversity of the area. This time a lot of animals and birds will be thrilled with the seed, nut and fruit bearing trees we planted including Hackberry, Oak, Serviceberry and elderberry to mention a few.
We couldn’t have done COVID plantings without the assistance of property owner Ralph McKim. Ralph is one of those wonderful, big hearted people you come across in your life. During COVID he coordinated the purchase of the trees and shrubs from Pine Needle farm, just up the road from where we plant. Ralph also lays down mulch around each planting and keeps an eye on everything. He even waters them if needed. (Did I mention he’s a great guy?).
As for a small number of volunteers, our neighbour and her sister and brother-in-law, visiting from Mexico, insisted they come plant. I was told afterwards that the planting was one of the highlights of their trip!

Planting Day!

The day of the planting was sunny and beautiful. With 6 people and the soft wonderful ground we were planting in, we were able to complete the planting in just over an hour. Everyone had a wonderful time and we got some memorable pictures!

We expect with COVID coming under control that we’ll reintroduce children and education back into the spring planting. There’s nothing like seeing the joy in a child’s eyes as they plant trees!

Christmas gift giving Campaign

With COVID seeming to be increasingly under control, we are planning a bigger spring planting. The more money we raise, the more we can plant. We have put an ad in the Lindsay Advocate looking for people who want to buy some trees as presents. And the best part is that you can even come out in the spring and plants your trees! (Or we can plant). ALL money raised goes to buy trees. Why not buy a few trees and join us?